Technical Specification: Portable Avatar Format (MPAI-PAF) V1.2 specifies:

  1. The Portable Avatar Format and related Data Formats enabling a receiver to decode and render an Avatar and its Environment as intended by the sender.
  2. The Personal Status Display Composite AI Module allowing the conversion of a Text and a Personal Status to a Portable Avatar.
  3. The AI Framework (MPAI-AIF)-conforming AI Workflows and AI Modules [2] of the Avatar-Based Videoconference Use Case also using Data Types from other MPAI Technical Specifications.

The Use Case normatively defines:

  1. The Functions of the AIWs and of the AIMs.
  2. The Connections between and among the AIMs
  3. The Semantics and the Formats of the input and output data of the AIW and the AIMs, in particular Avatar Descriptors.

The word normatively implies that an Implementation claiming Conformance to:

  1. An AIW, shall:
    1. Perform the function specified in the appropriate Section of Chapter 5.
    2. Use AIMs connected with the topology and connections conform with the AIW Architecture specified in Chapter 5.
    3. Have input and output data with the formats specified in Chapter 7.
  2. An AIM, shall:
    1. Perform the AIM function specified by the appropriate section of Chapter 5.
    2. Be composed of AIMs as specified in Chapter 6.
    3. Receive and produce the data specified in Chapter 7.
    4. A data Format, the data shall have the format specified in Chapter 7.

Users of this Technical Specification should note that:

  1. This Technical Specification defines Interoperability Levels but does not mandate any.
  2. Implementers decide the Interoperability Level their Implementation satisfies.
  3. Implementers can use the Reference Software of this Technical Specification to develop their Implementations.
  4. The Conformance Testing specification can be used to test the conformity of an Implemen­tation to this Standard.
  5. Performance Assessors can assess the level of Performance of an Implementation based on the Performance Assessment associated with the MPAI-PAF Technical Specification.
  6. Implementers and Users should consider the notices and disclaimers of Annex 2.

This Technical Specification includes the following elements:

  1. Scope (This Chapter)
  2. Terms and Definitions
  3. References
  4. Use Case (Avatar-Base Videoconference)
  5. Composite AI Modules
  6. Data Formats.

The current version of the Standard has been developed by the Portable Avatar Format Development Committee (PAF-DC). MPAI may issue new versions of MPAI-PAF that extend or replace the current Technical Specification.